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| The announcement to lift the masking order is expected to be made today |
Various media outlets have reported that Hong
Kong will follow Macau’s lead and lift its mask mandate as early as tomorrow,
Wednesday, and the announcement made today.
Government sources quoted in the reports say
the requirement for people to wear masks both indoors and outdoors, would be
scrapped at the same time.
But mask-wearing will continue to be imposed
in hospitals and other health-care facilities. People will also be encouraged
to wear masks when boarding public transportation, unlike in Macau where it is
still mandatory.
Hong Kong’s mask mandate was first imposed in
July 2020 and has been renewed every two weeks, with the latest extension due
to expire on Mar 8.
It is the last pandemic restriction that Hong
Kong has yet to lift, after doing away with requiring vaccination proof for most indoor premises and
PCR tests for inbound travellers and visitors in hospitals and care homes.
Currently, only those doing strenuous physical
activities or visiting country parks are allowed to take off their masks
outdoors.
Under Cap 599I Prevention and Control of
Disease (Wearing of Mask) Regulation, those who are caught without a mask
outside their homes, and are not eating or drinking, can be fined $5,000 on the
spot.
This allowed the government to rake in $750
million in the 2022-23 financial year alone.
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